Empowering women through creativity
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Last updated on Mar 28, 2026
Reviews
5.0
(97)
Average item review
We calculate this number using a recency-weighted average of all ratings, with a rating's value decreasing by half each year to best reflect the current experience.
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Lea on Oct 24, 2023
5 out of 5 starsLove these shweshwe toys - this one must be the 5 or 6 one I've bought to give away as gifts and the receipitants (& their parents) quickly fall in love too xxx
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Gemma on Sep 20, 2023
5 out of 5 starsVery helpful and prompt when I contacted the seller. Item arrived quickly and is beautiful
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Lucille on Sep 16, 2023
5 out of 5 starslovely kikoi, well packaged, and a responsive seller! Thank you.
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Sandrine on May 22, 2026
5 out of 5 starsEverything was quick and well packaged. Product matches the photos.
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sandra on Feb 12, 2024
5 out of 5 starsVery good customer support: Gwendoline answered all my questions precisely and very responsively. This allowed me to be satisfied with my purchase. THANKS!
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About MathildeAndCo
Sales
518
On Etsy since 2013
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Our workshop table on a busy day -
Fabrics drying in the summer sun -
Our display at the BLUE COW coffee shop in Barrydale, South Africa -
Giraffes and Cushions in the press -
Gaggle of girls in their Mathilde & Co. dresses!! - Barrydale, South Africa
Shop members
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Gwendolyne Gosselin
Owner
From Paris to the Klein Karoo in SA via Lima, from showbizz to leading adventure tours worldwide, I discovered a passion for shweshwe, and created Mathilde & Co. I moved back to France, determined to showcase South African talent to the world.
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Geraldeen
Seamstress
Geraldeen works wonders with a needle! Hundreds of little giraffes are born from her magic touch. Born deaf in a world she'd normally be shunned from, she has sewing degrees, and is mother to a gorgeous daughter .
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Ilze Davids
Assistant
Ilze loves colours and beautiful things. She helps Gwen to design, cut and add the final touches to every product. She also trains our ever growing team!
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Mathilde
Muse
My daughter Mathilde. Actually, One of the foster dogs we were looking after for the Karoo Animal Protection Society (KAPS), a husky named Lulu, who chewed her very french teething giraffe. And lead me to make a fabric substitute pronto.
Production partners
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Barrydale Handweavers
South Africa
A wonderful project set in the Western Cape; South Africa
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Da Gama
East London, South Africa
The one and only manufacturer of Genuine 3 Cats Shweswhe fabric. If it doesn't say so on the back, it's just not the real deal.
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Marchés africains -chinés
South Africa
Nous ramenons nos trésors au gré de nos découvertes un peu partout en Afrique. Commerce équitable garanti.
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Cooperative
Madagascar
Malgassy ladies make these dresses from large factory offcuts. They were bought directly from the seamstresses following Mathilde & Co's ethic of encouraging women entrepreneurship
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Sandveld Republic
South Africa
Home décor - South Africa
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Wildflower
South Africa
Wildflower is a small design shop that I choose to support by showcasing their products and works via my own shop
Shop policies
Last updated on
December 17, 2025
Bonjour ! Mathilde & Co. is a small cooperative of women based in the little Karoo - we aim to empower as many women as possible in our small rural community by teaching them a skill, the love of a craft and business-sense.
The designer, Gwendolyne has now based herself and her 2 little girls in France where she is setting up the french branch of Mathilde & Co. All products are still manufactured by our power team in Barrydale, South Africa - we're just starting to conquer the world!
Every one of our items is individually handmade in the best of fabrics, with shweshwe as our star cotton.
We live, love, breath, Africa and it's vibrant colours.
From soft toys to handbags, everything we make has a story to tell—a story that starts with one of us and continues with you.
That's the spirit of Ubuntu.
The designer, Gwendolyne has now based herself and her 2 little girls in France where she is setting up the french branch of Mathilde & Co. All products are still manufactured by our power team in Barrydale, South Africa - we're just starting to conquer the world!
Every one of our items is individually handmade in the best of fabrics, with shweshwe as our star cotton.
We live, love, breath, Africa and it's vibrant colours.
From soft toys to handbags, everything we make has a story to tell—a story that starts with one of us and continues with you.
That's the spirit of Ubuntu.
Accepted payment methods
Accepts Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits
Returns & exchanges
See item details for return and exchange eligibility.
Cancellations
Cancellations: not accepted
Please contact the seller if you have any problems with your order.
Payment
Items are shipped within seven days of recieving proof of payment, unless otherwise discussed with the client.
Shipping
Depending on the item purchased and recipient's address, Mathilde & Co. parcels will either be sent via the French Post Office (standard mail) ort through the South African Post Office, econo parcel, counter to counter, with a tracking number, which we will email you once sent. Parcels can be tracked on www.sapo.co.za.
Mathilde & Co. cannot be held responsible for damage, lost or theft.
Mathilde & Co. cannot be held responsible for damage, lost or theft.